


Poison Potion

by clk_boom



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Real World, Drug Abuse, Gen, Overdosing, Rehab
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 04:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4906285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clk_boom/pseuds/clk_boom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a fantasy created by the drug. Time stops existing. You're in rehab now, and they'll never let you go. Not after what you did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Be Our Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not real it's not real it's not real it was never real I just wanted to save the day.

_**"I've been having these weird thoughts lately. Like, is any of this for real?** _

_**Or not?"** _

"No, Sora. You know it isn't," said the therapist. They'd been over this every day for months now, and the pity was creeping into her eyes.

Everyone called her "Doc", or just "Naminé". Or sometimes "The little blonde shrink." She had a soft demeanor and an amazing talent for helping anyone in her care, as well as some who weren't.

Sora slouched in his chair and stared at his feet.

"But you look so familiar. Like I've seen you in a dream."

"A dream?"

"Yeah. Years ago, or maybe it was, like, months?" Naminé scribbled away.

"Sora, have you been attending your activities? I know you were having some trouble last month."

"Um. I think so."

"You think so, that's good," she cooed. "Last week you weren't so sure at all, remember?" Sora nodded and smiled. "I'll double-check, okay?"

"Have I been doin' better?"

"Yes, Sora, so much. You haven't had any illusions for a few days, now." They weren't called "hallucinations" here, they weren't called "relapses," they weren't hard here. Or, at least, most of them weren't.

Time was a difficult concept after you tasted it. The whole arsenal. They all had different names, but no matter what you called them, they made you feel like a hero. You felt the call. The word "gamer" had almost phased out of the vernacular completely, unless one was referring to the people hooked on those sweet Elixirs. Potions, to some. There was a whole slew, and they all could fry your mind in an instant. Reports in articles and on the news were calling them some of the most "vicious" and "brutal" drugs on the streets, and the prominent question surrounding them was simply: "Why?" Why risk winding up with the traumatic nightmares, hallucinations, dark things crawling in your mind? Why risk becoming all but braindead in an instant? Why risk a lifetime for a few hours?

The answer, of course, was that everyone wants to be a superhero.

* * *

The four of them came into the world rather remarkably. Vanitas and Sora came first, in that order, and five minutes apart. A two full years - give or take a few months - before Ventus and Roxas were born, in that order, twenty-three minutes apart. They were born artificially, and to very rich but apparently uncreative parents.

"Sora." It was the first word spoken to him when he arrived in August. It was often the first word he heard in the mornings. It was like they were trying to remind him of it, but it was one of the few things he knew for sure anymore. "Sora, are you still with us?" He snapped back into reality. "Where were your thoughts just now?"

"In how much I ha-" ( _"We don't say 'hate' here, Sora"_ ) "- dislike... my distaste. For group therapy." The man nodded.

"I'm glad you're freely expressing yourself." A few others nodded at Sora. They were not called patients here. They were called Guests by the facility, roommates and friends and siblings by others.

"Thanks..."

"Anything else?"

"No."

"Alright. Does anyone have anything else to share, on that note?" To Sora, his voice melted away once again as he went back into his mind.

The funny thing about Potions is, they say, that it seems to run in families. Sora's brothers and he were no different. It wouldn't suffice just to say that Sora wasn't the first of his blood to wind up in the "Castle". It was never confirmed to Guests directly, but it had been passed around that the higher the floor you were put on, the further gone your brains were, and it  _might_ suffice to say that Vanitas was seven stories over Sora's head.

"Sora, please. Try to focus," the therapist pleaded. He didn't want to have to call a doctor or security for an illusion when all of his Guests had done so well this week.

"What floor are we on?" His eyes were hazy. The therapist sighed and sent out the silent alert.

"Fourth, Sora. Do you know where we are?" Several of the others in the room were already moving against the walls. No one wanted to end up beaten bloody like What's-His-Name-From-Fifth-Floor last week.

"Castle Oblivion."

"I'd like you to think hard and look around. Where are we, buddy?"

"I told you!" He was grinning and clearly gone already. "Boy, this place really does make ya forget, huh?"

* * *

He woke up in solitary. Soft music was playing, but he'd never remembered music in here before. He chalked it up to the brain damage. His head was on fire, like the first time. His throat echoed the burn from the memories. He was out of breath while his heart tried to slow back down.

"You died." Naminé was working on a computer. She knew sometimes the other doctors didn't approve of her way of things, but the Guests often didn't mind. "Thought I'd get it out of the way so you can have time to process that."

"I... know."

"You know?"

"I know." It came with more conviction the second time and he nodded. Naminé furrowed her eyebrows.

"How did you know?"

"I was swallowed up. By the Darkness. I remember floating there." He paused, a far-off look in his eyes. "I chose to continue."

"You chose?"

"Mm-hm. I can't die yet, the story isn't over."

"There is no story, Sora. But no, you're right in one regard:  _your_ story isn't over yet. We're glad to have you back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first of hopefully many chapters. It's an idea I scribbled down over two years ago and it's just come back to light. I'm so excited to share it! The best part is, it has a set history, but no set future, so I'll probably beat this rug until it's clean.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time is no concept. You experience time as we do.

The place had too many floors. Lots of wings, wards, rooms you were never allowed into. Castle Ranch really deserved that name. It earned the name "Oblivion" mostly because of the Guests; a lot of them, especially the truly far gone, thought the facility actually made you forget things. They were beyond help, anyway.

"Good morning, Sora."

"Hi, Doc."

"In a good mood today?"

"Today's a different day."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"I try to be optimistic."

"That's good. I hope today's session doesn't affect that."

"It doesn't, usually."

"I admire your spirit!"

They ended up finally talking about the first time. He came to speak on it quicker and more comfortably than most. Then again, Sora was nearly ready to go to the first floor, the doctors would titter at some of their meetings.

It was back when Vanitas was allowed visits, back when he was hanging out with those other two kids. Sora never had liked them. One of them always looked at their little brothers kinda funny, and Sora was always so protective of them. He had advised Vanitas to stop hanging around them, but he was such a "bad boy" back then, of course he didn't have to listen, so of course he didn't. They should've known all along, but ultimately he didn't get help until he O.D.'d and nearly died.

Sora had been terrified at first. Then he was furious at him for nearly leaving him alone. Then he felt the weight of the guilt - how could he be angry when Vanitas had clung onto life by a thread? - and finally the confused apathy, that comes with feeling overwhelmed. After he had medically recovered, for the most part, he got shipped off to the Castle Ranch. Sora never went to one visitation; he couldn't fathom looking Vanitas in the eyes. In actuality, he spent far too much time by himself.

"Sora, I'm so sorry, but we've run out of time. I'll try to make time for you to finish later tonight or tomorrow. Does that sound-"

"I don't know."

"Then we'll wait."

"Okay, that sounds good."

"I'll see you tomorrow." He nodded and got up to leave.

An announcement coming over the intercom politely asked Guests to make their ways to the cafeteria, and for faculty to assist.

Sora had been more overjoyed than he thought he'd be when Vanitas got to actually visit home.

* * *

He woke up screaming. And screaming and screaming and screaming. He threw the sheets, pillows, his clock, anything he could reach.

"KAIRI! KAIRI! NO!" They were after her, he was sure of it. The door flung open and two guards and a doctor rushed in. Sora saw a massive darkness rushing him. It held him down, clawing, staring at him with their big, yellow eyes. In all honesty, the doctor was shining a light in his eyes.

"Sora, who's Kairi? Tell me about her."

"My-my... my friend! Give her back!" He was trying to lash out, grab him, but they'd already strapped Sora down.

"Sora, I don't have her. Do you know where we-"

"I've never been here! I don't know!"

"You're at Castle-"

"Oblivion..."

* * *

"Do you want to talk about what happened last night?"

Time was no concept.

"When?"

"Last night."

"I don't know."

Vanitas was different. Sora didn't know if it was good-different or bad-different, but he just  _was_. Everything from the way he talked and what he talked about to how he moved and interacted, it was all different. As much as it felt like a stranger, it felt just as much like his twin. In his current memory, he could've likened it to being back in the hospital, having just been born, experiencing his brother for the first time.

It was hard to sleep sometimes while Vanitas incessantly rummaged around the room in the dead of night.

* * *

"Good morning, Vanitas."

"Fuck off." He laughed. His eyes refused to focus.

"It's time for breakfast." He laughed louder.

"Yeah, good luck."

"Are you saying you're not hungry?" The nurse was always incredibly patient with him, and part of Vanitas always felt guilty, when he could.

"I'm saying good luck."

"You're dehydrated. I just want to let you know we're putting an IV in again today."

"Might as well gimme a feeding tube."

"Vanitas..."

"Oh, is  _that_ what my name is? Is THAT it? I didn't FUCKING know."

"Do you want me to stop saying it?" Prick. Vanitas's arm went cold.

"Saying what?"

* * *

"Can I see Kairi?" Naminé sighed gently. "Or...is she still with Riku?"

"Sora, do-"

"Can I see Riku? Have you seen him? I'm... I'm lookin' for him."

"He's not here," she said simply. With Sora, she found, the simple things carried more to him during an episode. Some were just the opposite.

"Oh." There went his chances of first floor. Maybe second or third, in a few months. Maybe longer. "Did he come through here?"

"No, Sora."

"Oh. What about Kairi? She's...she's got red hair, and looks  _exactly_ like you. Are you her sister?"

"I'm nobody to her."

"Nobodies?"

"Do you know who I am?"

"You're... Naminé."

"That's right."

"Kairi's Nobody." That caught her off guard.

"I...guess?"

* * *

On the floors above the ninth, they had specially designated days for socialization. Some Guests had even started to recognize when they were.

"Terra... I thought you were gone forever."

"Is Ven okay?"

"He's still sleeping."

"Sleeping?"

"Like when the Master brought him to us in the beginning."

"That's terrible."

"At least Vanitas is gone."

It had started off as innocently as it could've. A party, a guy dealing. He seemed a little off, but lots of them were these days. Terra and Aqua had heard of what he was selling, so of course they shelled out. They were really never the same after that. A few weeks later, they met Vanitas.

* * *

"I told her I'd come back to her. Am I ever goin' back?"

"Maybe one day soon." Axel was a good guy. Sora had decided he liked him. At first he wasn't sure. Actually, at first he hated him, but the timeline was all screwy in his head.

"She's waiting for me, I think. Part of me thinks she isn't."

"Why wouldn't she be? You're best friends, right?" Axel was going to the first floor in a couple weeks, and still knew it. He'd known it from the day the doctors told him he was. He was on track to go home by next year. Many people thought it was a miracle of will, more or less, because he was on the tenth floor a few months ago.

"I don't know."

So after all the rummaging and the dropping of things everywhere, a few nights later Sora rolled over in bed to find Vanitas guzzling a bottle. Sora had assumed it was just stashed liquor - he did it sometimes, so he figured no harm - but then Vanitas, the next day, collapsed. Not before he'd gone absolutely nuts, though. Truth be told, Sora still felt guilty any time he remembered that it happened.

* * *

Vanitas started hanging out with Terra and Aqua more frequently. He and Sora fought often those days since he was never around, and Sora missed his brother.

"Sorry. Again."

"It's alright. Remember what we said last time?"

"I'm still accountable, but not in control?"

"Almost. Even though it's  _hard_ to be in control, you can always  _choose_ accountability." The nurse smiled. "But almost never guilt, right? We know what's conscious and what's not. You don't have to be sorry with me. We're buds." Vanitas smiled genuinely for the first time in a while.

"Buds?"

"Yep."

"That means a lot."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully there will be many more chapters. I've been trying to write this fic for an idea I scribbled onto a few papers two years ago, and the words are only now coming. I'm so excited!


End file.
